Ultrasonic welding assembly and method of attaching an anvil to a bracket of the assembly

ABSTRACT

An ultrasonic welding assembly having an ultrasonic horn and an anvil having first, second, and third plate portions is provided. The third plate portion is coupled between the first and second plate portions. The first plate portion has a first knurled region on a first side disposed proximate to the ultrasonic horn, and the second plate portion has a second knurled region on the first side. The third plate portion has a first aperture extending therethrough. The assembly further includes a bracket that receives the second side of the anvil for holding the anvil thereon. The bracket has a second aperture extending therethrough that aligns with the first aperture, such that a coupling member extending through the first and second apertures removably couples the anvil to the bracket.

BACKGROUND

Ultrasonic welding devices have been utilized. However, when a contactportion of an ultrasonic welding anvil becomes degraded, the anvil isthrown away and a new welding anvil is utilized. A problem with thisapproach is that the ultrasonic welding anvils are relatively expensive.

Accordingly, the inventors herein have recognized a need for an improvedultrasonic welding assembly and method that reduces the above mentioneddeficiency.

SUMMARY

An ultrasonic welding assembly in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment is provided. The ultrasonic welding assembly includes anultrasonic horn and an anvil. The anvil has first, second, and thirdplate portions. The first and second plate portions extend generallyperpendicular to one another. The third plate portion is coupled betweenthe first and second plate portions. The first, second, and third plateportions define first and second sides. The first plate portion has afirst knurled region on the first side disposed proximate to theultrasonic horn. The second plate portion has a second knurled region onthe first side. The third plate portion has a first aperture extendingtherethrough. The ultrasonic welding assembly further includes a bracketconfigured to receive the second side of the anvil for holding the anvilthereon. The bracket has a second aperture extending therethrough thataligns with the first aperture, such that a coupling member extendingthrough the first and second apertures removably couples the anvil tothe bracket.

A method for attaching an anvil to a bracket of an ultrasonic weldingassembly in accordance with another exemplary embodiment is provided.The anvil has first, second, and third plate portions. The first andsecond plate portions extend generally perpendicular to one another. Thethird plate portion is coupled between the first and second plateportions. The first, second, and third plate portions define first andsecond sides. The first plate portion has a first knurled region on thefirst side. The second plate portion has a second knurled region on thefirst side. The third plate portion has a first aperture extendingtherethrough. The method includes disposing the second side of the anvilagainst a portion of the bracket such that the first aperture alignswith a second aperture in the bracket, and a portion of the second plateportion is received in a notch of the bracket, and the first knurledregion is configured to be disposed proximate to an ultrasonic horn. Themethod further includes disposing a coupling member through the firstand second apertures to fixedly couple the anvil to the bracket. Themethod further includes when the first knurled region has a degradedconfiguration, removing the coupling member from the first and secondapertures to remove the anvil from the bracket. The method furtherincludes disposing the second side of the anvil against the portion ofthe bracket such that first aperture aligns with a second aperture inthe bracket, and a portion of the first plate portion is received in thenotch of the bracket, and the second knurled region is configured to bedisposed proximate to the ultrasonic horn. The method further includesdisposing the coupling member through the first and second apertures tofixedly couple the anvil to the bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic of a ultrasonic welding assembly in accordancewith an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic of a portion of the ultrasonic welding assembly ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic welding assembly ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of an anvil utilizing in the ultrasonicwelding assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is another enlarged view of the anvil utilizing in the ultrasonicwelding assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for attaching an anvil to a bracket ofthe ultrasonic welding assembly of FIG. 1 in accordance with anotherexemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the FIGS. 1-5, schematics of an ultrasonic welding assembly10 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment are illustrated. Theultrasonic welding assembly 10 includes an ultrasonic horn 20, an anvil22, a bracket 24, a bracket 26, an ultrasonic actuator 28, a computer30, and bolts 31, 32, 33. The ultrasonic welding assembly 10 isconfigured to ultrasonically weld work pieces together that are disposedbetween the ultrasonic horn 20 and the anvil 22.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the ultrasonic horn 20 is operably coupledto an ultrasonic actuator 28. The ultrasonic actuator 22 is configuredto vibrate the ultrasonic horn 20 when the ultrasonic actuator 28receives a control signal from the computer 30. The ultrasonic horn 20includes a head portion 40, a central portion 42, and a tip portion 44.The head portion 40 is operably coupled to the ultrasonic actuator 28.The central portion 42 is coupled between the head portion 40 and thetip portion 44. The tip portion 44 includes a knurled region 46 thatfaces a knurled region 74 of the anvil 22. In one exemplary embodiment,the ultrasonic horn 20 is constructed of tool steel such as M2 steel forexample.

Referring to FIGS. 2-5, the anvil 22 is configured to hold work pieces(not shown) against the knurled region 46 of the tip portion 44 of theultrasonic horn 20 for ultrasonically welding the work pieces together.The anvil 22 includes plate portions 60, 62, 64. The plate portions 60,62 extend generally perpendicular to one another. The plate portion 64is coupled between the plate portions 60, 62. The plate portion 60, 62,64 define sides 70, 72. The plate portion 60 includes the knurled region74 on the side 70 that is disposed proximate to the ultrasonic horn 20.The plate portion 62 has a knurled region 76 on the side 70. The plateportion 64 has apertures 81, 82, 83 (shown in FIG. 4) extendingtherethrough. The apertures 81, 82, 83 may be threaded for receivingcorresponding threads of bolts 31, 32, 33, respectively, therein. In oneexemplary embodiment, the anvil 22 is constructed of M2 steel. Ofcourse, in alternative embodiments, the anvil 22 could be constructed ofother materials known to those skilled in the art. In the illustratedexemplary embodiment, the anvil 22 is removably coupled to the bracket24 utilizing the bolts 31, 32, 33. The structure of the bolts 31, 32, 33have an identical structure so only the structure of the bolt 32 will beexplained in greater detail. The bolt 32 has a tapered head portion 83(shown in FIG. 3) and a threaded portion 84. The threaded portion 84 isreceived through the aperture 82 of the anvil 22 and the threadedaperture 100 of the bracket 24. An advantage of the anvil 22 is thatwhen the knurled region 74 has been wore down due to usage, the anvil 22can be detached from the bracket 24 and then rotated and reattached tothe bracket 24 such that the knurled region 76 is utilized, forultrasonic welding. Accordingly, the anvil 22 provides at least twicethe operational life as compared to other anvils.

Referring to FIG. 3, the bracket 24 is configured to receive the anvil22 thereon. The bracket 24 includes a body portion 90 defining a notch92 extending therein and surfaces 94, 96, 98 for receiving the anvil 22thereon. The bracket 24 further includes a threaded aperture 100extending therein for receiving a threaded portion of the bolt 32therein, and two additional apertures (not shown) for receiving threadedportions of the bolts 31, 33 therein. In the illustrated embodiment, thebracket 24 is constructed of steel.

The bracket 26 is configured to support the bracket 24. In one exemplaryembodiment, the bracket 26 is coupled to the bracket 24 utilizing one ormore bolts. Further, the bracket 26 is constructed of steel.

Referring to FIG. 6, a flowchart of a method for attaching the anvil 22to the bracket 24 of the ultrasonic welding assembly 10 will now beexplained. For purposes of simplicity, only the bolt 32 will bediscussed in attaching the anvil 22 to the bracket 24. Of course, thebolts 31, 33 could also be utilized to attach the anvil 22 to thebracket 24.

At step 200, a user provides the anvil 22 having plate portions 60, 62,64. The plate portions 60, 62 extend generally perpendicular to oneanother. The plate portion 64 is coupled between the plate portions 60,62. The plate portions 60, 62, 64 define sides 70, 72. The plate portion60 has the knurled region 74 on the side 70. The plate portion 62 hasthe knurled region 76 on the side 70. The plate portion 64 has anaperture 82 extending therethrough.

At step 202, the user disposes the side 72 of the anvil 22 against aportion of the bracket 24 such that the aperture 82 aligns with theaperture 100 in the bracket 24, and a portion 100 of the plate portion62 is received in the notch 92 of the bracket 24.

At step 204, the user disposes the coupling member 32 through theapertures 82, 100 to fixedly couple the anvil 22 to the bracket 24.

At step 206, the user positions the ultrasonic horn 20 proximate to theanvil 22 such that the knurled region 74 is disposed proximate to theknurled region 46 on the ultrasonic horn 20.

At step 208, the user makes a determination as to whether the knurledregion 74 as a degraded configuration after welding usage of the anvil22. If the value of step 208 equals “yes”, the method advances to step210. Otherwise, the method returns to step 208.

At step 210, the user removes the coupling member 32 from the apertures82, 100 to remove the anvil 22 from the bracket 24.

At step 212, the user disposes the side 72 of the anvil 22 against theportion of the bracket 24 such that aperture 82 aligns with an aperture100 in the bracket 24, and a portion 102 of the plate portion 60 isreceived in the notch 92 of the bracket 24.

At step 214, the user positions the ultrasonic horn 20 proximate to theanvil 22 such that the knurled region 76 is disposed proximate to theknurled region 46 on the ultrasonic horn 20.

The ultrasonic welding assembly 10 disclosed herein provides asubstantial advantage over other devices. In particular, the ultrasonicwelding assembly 10 utilizes an anvil 22 having three plate portions foreasily positioning the anvil 22 on a bracket and two knurled regionsdisposed a side of the anvil to obtain twice the operational life of theanvil 22.

While the claimed invention has been described in detail in connectionwith only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readilyunderstood that the invention is not limited to such disclosedembodiments. Rather, the claimed invention can be modified toincorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions orequivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which arecommensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally,while various embodiments of the claimed invention have been described,it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include onlysome of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the claimed invention isnot to be seen as limited by the foregoing description.

What is claimed is:
 1. An ultrasonic welding assembly, comprising: anultrasonic horn; an anvil having first, second, and third plateportions, the first and second plate portions extending generallyperpendicular to one another, the third plate portion being coupledbetween the first and second plate portions, the first, second, andthird plate portions defining first and second sides, the first plateportion having a first knurled region on the first side disposedproximate to the ultrasonic horn, the second plate portion having asecond knurled region on the first side, the third plate portion havinga first aperture extending therethrough; and a bracket configured toreceive the second side of the anvil for holding the anvil thereon, thebracket having a second aperture extending therethrough that aligns withthe first aperture, such that a coupling member extending through thefirst and second apertures removably couples the anvil to the bracket.2. The ultrasonic welding assembly of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonichorn has a third knurled region disposed proximate to the first knurledregion.
 3. The ultrasonic welding assembly of claim 2, wherein the anvilis configured to be removed from the bracket and reattached to thebracket such that the second knurled region of the anvil is disposedproximate to the third knurled region of the ultrasonic horn.
 4. Theultrasonic welding assembly of claim 1, wherein the holding bracket hasa notch extending therein that is configured to receive a portion of thesecond plate portion therein.
 5. The ultrasonic welding assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the coupling member is a bolt.